Daniel and the Lion’s Den – Bible lesson for teens

The story of Daniel and the Lion’s Den is one of the most well-known stories in the Bible. It shows us the faithfulness of Daniel and the power of God to protect His people.

BIBLE READING: Daniel 6

KEY VERSE: “My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O king.” – Daniel 6:22

DOWNLOAD THE FREE PRINTABLE LESSON

BIBLE STUDY NOTES FOR TEENS

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY:

Daniel lived during the Babylonian Captivity in the 6th century B.C. He was from Judea and was taken captive when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Jerusalem. In Babylon, Daniel served as an administrator for the kingdom and rose to high favour among those in power. Despite the challenges of living in a foreign land, he prospered and became known for his wisdom and courage.

In Daniel 6, a group of jealous advisers began conspiring against Daniel and tricked King Darius into making a rule they knew Daniel would break. The law was that everyone must only pray to the king for 30 days. Of course, Daniel refused and continued to pray to God as he had done previously.

The jealous advisers reported Daniel, and even though the king didn’t want to throw Daniel into the den of lions, he was forced to because of his own law. But God protected Daniel and sent an angel who shut the mouths of the lions so they could not harm him.

The chapter ends with King Darius issuing a decree to nations of every language throughout his kingdom to fear and revere the God of Daniel. He declared that this God is the living God who endures forever and will save and rescue people in need.

KEY POINTS:

1. KEEP DOING WHAT IS RIGHT – DANIEL 6:10

2. PRAY CONSTANTLY – DANIEL 6:10

3. BE ON YOUR GUARD – DANIEL 6:4-9

4. GOD CAN PROTECT US – DANIEL 6:21-22

Read full notes in the pdf lesson

YOUTH GAMES AND ACTIVITIES – Daniel and the Lion’s Den

LION’S DEN ESCAPE

Materials needed: Images of lions, tape, blindfold.

Instructions:

1. Place the images of lions randomly on the floor throughout the room.
2. Blindfold a participant.
3. The group can give verbal instructions to help the blindfolded person navigate safely and guide them through the ‘lion’s den,’ avoiding the lion images.
4. Discuss how God’s guidance helps us navigate the challenges in our lives.

TRICKY TRUTHS

Materials needed: Paper, pens.

Instructions:

1. Divide players into teams. Each team writes down three statements: two false and one true.
2. The statements can relate to themselves, general knowledge or the Bible passage.
3. Teams take turns presenting their statements, and the opposing teams must discern which one is true.
4. Connect the activity back to how Daniel’s advisors tricked the king, emphasizing discernment and wisdom in our daily lives.

LION’S ROAR

Materials needed: None.

Instructions:

1. One person stands in front of the group, facing away from them.
2. The leader silently selects another participant from the group to “roar” like a lion.
3. The participant facing away must listen carefully to the “roar” and then turn around and try to guess who made the sound.
4. Rotate players so that everyone gets a chance to “roar” and guess.

Example Worksheets in the lesson pack

DOWNLOAD THE FREE PRINTABLE LESSON

View lesson for other age groups

Translations